CDA erects bombproof wall for ex-president’s farmhouse

ISLAMABAD - Following the life threats to former military chief Pervez Musharraf, the Capital Development Authority (CDA) on Saturday erected a bombproof moveable wall outside his farmhouse situated in Chak Shahzad, Islamabad. T-wall, as security experts would call it commonly, is made of steel, concrete and recycled material and has capability to absorb shock waves generated from any bomb explosion of higher capacity. A CDA official confirmed to The Nation on Saturday that 1/4th of the wall has been built around the Musharraf's villa while heavy machinery was working on the site to complete the rest. "It is a moveable bomb-proof security wall which is being erected outside the Musharraf's farmhouse. Similar type of walls are already being used by foreign missions, located inside the Diplomatic Enclave, Islamabad," a deputy director of CDA told The Nation requesting anonymity. Both Chairman CDA and spokesman of the Authority were not available for their comments. Insiders say, it was the deteriorating security situation in the federal capital Islamabad followed by life threats to Musharraf which made the authorities to make elaborated security measures including the bombproof wall. The Nation had reported earlier that four-bedroom residence has two bomb-proof rooms - said to be a work of a US based company. Musharraf had been receiving life threats since the time his trial began.In April 2013, 45-kg explosives were discovered in a car abandoned near Musharraf's farmhouse when he was being taken back there after his appearance in an anti-terrorism court in Rawalpindi. On December 24, the police discovered five kilograms of explosive materials, weapons and ammunition close to his route from his house to the court. Again on December 30, the police recovered four packets of explosive materials near Musharraf's farmhouse. On April 3, 2014, the former military chief and his son Bilal Musharraf narrowly escaped assassination bid.This year on March 10, the Islamabad police chief, the chief commissioner and the Interior Ministry had warned that terrorists affiliated with the TTP and Al-Qaeda might try to assassinate the retired General.Most recently, Musharraf was moved to his farmhouse in the wee hours on 3 April 2014 after he was discharged from the Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology, Rawalpindi. As for the villa, it was designed by Pakistan's famous architect Hammad Husain in close consultations with the then first lady Sehba Musharraf. Built in two years (2006-2008), it reportedly cost $2 million.

This news was published in The Nation newspaper. Read complete newspaper of 13-Apr-2014 here.